OH NO! I tumbled my wheaties!

[fistfulladirt]

Tumbled my common date wheaties, worked great! Bought a cheapo kids tumbler and used a half cup of aquarium gravel and a little squirt of detergent.
Ran it for a hour or so, and about 20% came out shiney copper. Didn't notice any damage, and even tumbled a couple nasty indian cents that previously were un-dateable.
Although I used this method for common-daters, I wouldn't recommend it for anything else but those and clad. AMC

[cedarratt]

Hmm I had not considered using aquarium gravel I think I will test this out tonight. I had been using BB's and dish soap on my dirty clad's, but the BB's become odd shapes likes squares and stuff after awhile.

[berkshiregold]

A local hobby shop owner said that you can use the hard, dry corn kernels, like bird food, to use in tumblers.

[kenley]

I reload pistol ammo and use a viberatoring brass cleaner. The best media i have found is crushed walnut hulls. Second best is crushed corn cob. Hope this helps.

[boogeyman]

Try walnut with just a couple pinches of rouge for really cruddy stuff. If you think about it, you can't really lose the value. Junk coins melted into a blob & thrown in with the scrap for the junk yard will yield more than face. That being said, (disclaimer) I don't in any way condone destroying or defacing any U.S. currency. :-)